Murphy makes impression with Redskins

The pass-rushing linebacker arrived at the Washington Redskins' training camp in Richmond, Va., on Thursday wearing a blue-collared work shirt with his name stitched onto the front pocket.

The shirt was introduced to the Cardinal by former coach Jim Harbaugh and is a symbol of hard-working laborers. Cardinal players have taken pride in wearing them and changing the notion that a football team at a "smart school" can't be tough.

"We were just all about being nitty gritty, grimy, dirty guys," the rookie second-round draft pick told the Washington Post. "Waking up at the crack of dawn, putting our blue-collar shirt on and going to work and basically taking what was ours. And that's what training camp's all about, is getting up every day, and you've got hard work in front of you, but you're just gonna grind through."

Murphy tweeted that he is ready to work and said he wore the shirt "in honor of all the Stanford University family."

Murphy is known as a hard worker. He arrived for Day 1 of camp at 6:38 a.m. He didn't wait for the team's shuttle from the hotel and got to camp two hours before the scheduled start of practice. No one else was there, no one to see Murphy's prized shirt.

After leading the nation in sacks a year ago with 15, Murphy graduated from Stanford and entered an offseason workout program with his father and brother, "which is always interesting," Murphy said. His pop and bro had something different planned this summer.

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"They do this strong man circuit," Murphy told the Post. "They set up water heaters, and then you have to run through the water heaters and knock them all over, (then) flip a tire down, sledge hammer (the tire). And then you do a farmer's walk with two water heaters, and throw a water heater over your shoulder, run like 50 yards and then throw it as far as you can. So that's a little strongman plumbing edition, workout."

Murphy's father works with water heaters professionally, "and so we just have this stockpile of water heaters," Murphy said.

He figures the ones they tossed around weighed about 100 pounds, and said he threw them just shy of 10 yards at the end of the course, which they set up in the 50-yard dirt driveway outside the family's Phoenix home.

Murphy estimated the exercise took about 30 minutes to complete.

"It's exhausting," he said. "You feel like you just played a football game, pretty much."

As odd as that sounds, it's not the most unusual thing Murphy has done to prepare himself for football. His hobbies include steer wrestling.

Murphy was not impressed by his debut on Day 1 of camp. He said he lost containment on one play, "which shouldn't ever happen." The miscue allowed a 70-yard scramble pass.

New Redskins coach Jay Gruden said all of the rookies had problems on Day 1.

"I was a little disappointed in the whole thing," Gruden told the Post.

On another play, Murphy locked up with tight end Jordan Reed and simply tossed Reed to the ground, HamptonRoads.com reports.

The 23-year-old Murphy, who was drafted with the 47th overall pick, told reporters his goals for camp are "to limit mistakes, make plays and earn a spot -- at least on special teams -- and a contributing role on defense."

He didn't seem too upset about being alone at the facility early in the morning.

"I'm always early," Murphy told the Post. "Early is on time, is what we say."

Murphy said he is loving the Redskins' rabid fan base, many of whom stood through rain to watch practice.

"Best in football, I'm sure," he said.

He added the rookies need fans to show them love because "we're not going to get it from the vets."